This is one of my favorite and most treasured pictures of all time. One of my favorite days (my wedding day) with two of my favorite women (my paternal grandmother Margaret Mikkelsen on the left, my maternal grandmother Edna Norlund on the right). I don't know why, but I've been thinking a lot about my grandmothers recently. Maybe it's because I am insanely jealous of my mother and sisters who will head to Davis shortly to visit G-ma Mikkelsen. Maybe it's the prospect of moving to the other side of the country and possibly not seeing her for a long time. I have been particularly missing Grandma Norlund. Perhaps it's because her birthday is coming up, or because my cousins Stephen and Brandon have visited us several times recently and we have spent a lot of time playing '10,000' and reminiscing about her. Sometimes I am reminded of something she told me once or of some funny incident, and I find myself in a fit of spontaneous laughter, usually followed by a tear or two. I miss her raisin bread and cucumber salad, playing with her rubber finger puppets and dancing to her Harry Belefonte records ("Shake, Shake, Shake Sonora" was always my favorite! And you'll find "Jamaican Farewell" on my playlist.) My favorite memory of her is probably the fateful day when, during a family gathering, her hair caught fire after a magical flame shot from Pietr's fingertip. I also love that, upon hearing what my new last name was to be, she purportedly said, "'Wilcoxson'?! What a horrible name to pin on somebody!" To commemorate her upcoming birthday, feel free to share (fond memories, quotes, etc.) I'd love to hear what you remember!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Pic-O-The Week: (Two) True Women
This is one of my favorite and most treasured pictures of all time. One of my favorite days (my wedding day) with two of my favorite women (my paternal grandmother Margaret Mikkelsen on the left, my maternal grandmother Edna Norlund on the right). I don't know why, but I've been thinking a lot about my grandmothers recently. Maybe it's because I am insanely jealous of my mother and sisters who will head to Davis shortly to visit G-ma Mikkelsen. Maybe it's the prospect of moving to the other side of the country and possibly not seeing her for a long time. I have been particularly missing Grandma Norlund. Perhaps it's because her birthday is coming up, or because my cousins Stephen and Brandon have visited us several times recently and we have spent a lot of time playing '10,000' and reminiscing about her. Sometimes I am reminded of something she told me once or of some funny incident, and I find myself in a fit of spontaneous laughter, usually followed by a tear or two. I miss her raisin bread and cucumber salad, playing with her rubber finger puppets and dancing to her Harry Belefonte records ("Shake, Shake, Shake Sonora" was always my favorite! And you'll find "Jamaican Farewell" on my playlist.) My favorite memory of her is probably the fateful day when, during a family gathering, her hair caught fire after a magical flame shot from Pietr's fingertip. I also love that, upon hearing what my new last name was to be, she purportedly said, "'Wilcoxson'?! What a horrible name to pin on somebody!" To commemorate her upcoming birthday, feel free to share (fond memories, quotes, etc.) I'd love to hear what you remember!
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5 comments:
I love your grandmas too. Will I get to se them this summer? Oh, and I love your hair short, but that's just me! You are great.
What a beautiful picture, Kik. Thanks for posting it. It's fun to see (even virtually) your Grandma Mikkelsen, and remember her from when I was growing up in Davis stake. I was never privileged to know Grandma Norlund very well . . . but I greatly admired her strength, her testimony of Jesus Christ, her service to her family, and her love of cooking and playing the part of hostess. Gracious and strong. And it's good to think of her working now, without the hindrance of an aged body, able to follow the desires of her heart, with Grandpa Norlund and family all around.
I miss my grandparents, too. Thank you for giving me a chance to stop and think about them for a few minutes.
In defense of Dave, my beloved brother-in-law, "But Grandma, why don't you seem to like Dave?"
Gma: Grunt. "Well, he's just too short."
Me: "Nick is tall - does that mean you like him?" (Nick is 6'8".)
Gma: "Now that's a little excessive, don't you think?"
Sometimes you just couldn't please her - and she got more liberal with her opinions the older she got! Good thing Dave and Nick are both thick-skinned!
She was spunky! And you look absolutely beautiful in that picture!
I just woke up from a nap thinking of Grandma Norlund (so random!) and how she used to pay us to work in her yard. She would pay count the weeds in our bucket and pay us per weed. Then she would always total up what she owed us and add 10% (e.g. she would owe us $10, but pay us $11.11) so that we would still have that much after we payed our tithing.
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